A patented new approach to wind technology is more efficient at producing power from the wind, according to a paper presented at a recent American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Aerospace Sciences meeting. This efficiency provides a faster return on investment, making it well suited for residential and business applications.

Ken Visser, associate professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering at Clarkson University and a former NASA engineer, and his students tested a WindTamer turbine installed at Clarkson. The turbine was donated to Clarkson by WindTamer Corporation, an independent developer of wind technology based in Geneseo, NY. Visser used the testing to give his students hands-on engineering experience. Michael Moeller, one of Visser’s students, presented the paper that detailed the results of the testing at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Aerospace Sciences meeting on Orlando on January 7, 2010.

The paper concluded that the patented technology used by WindTamer turbines surpasses the energy output limit theoretically possible from an open rotor wind turbine. That limit, calculated by German physicist Albert Betz in 1919 and popularly referred to as the “Betz Limit,” is 59.3 percent of the kinetic energy in wind. The WindTamer turbine resulted in total energy outputs that reached 80 percent of the wind’s kinetic energy, well beyond the Betz Limit.

The WindTamer turbine surpassed the Betz limit with a patented diffuser system that separates the wind into three cooperative forces.  Like conventional turbines, the technology uses the wind to push the blades to start rotating. The diffuser system then creates two vacuums in the wind flow – one behind the blades and another behind the turbine. The vacuums effectively pull the wind through the blades, thus turning the rotors faster and generating more power.

 The paper also revealed that the WindTamer system does not have to be furled out of the wind to avoid overtaxing its generator. In addition, the WindTamer turbine’s low noise level makes the system suitable for residential use, Moeller said.

Visser called the collaboration with WindTamer Corporation “a win-win for everybody.” The donation of the machine and a tower for testing allowed students to learn and interact with researchers, and WindTamer Corporation gained information that could be used in refining its design.

“I philosophically support wind energy,” Visser said. “Most people currently can’t afford small wind turbines. If we can make them more efficient so people can get a faster return on their investment, that would promote people adopting small wind turbines.”

“We are not surprised by the results of the Clarkson University study,” said Gerald E. Brock, WindTamer chief executive officer and inventor of the WindTamer design. “Based on our own testing, we know that WindTamer turbines outperform conventional turbines. It should also be noted that the hubs of the units that produced these results were only 13 and 24 feet off the ground.”

“The fact that a prestigious institution such as Clarkson University and a respected researcher such as Dr. Ken Visser have verified our findings is an important seal of approval,” said Brock. He noted that three WindTamer models are commercially available and have been installed in residences, airports and businesses.

For more information about WindTamer Turbines, visit windtamerturbines.com.